India and Israel have
a budding relationship based on security and foreign policy concerns.
By Ronald Meinardus,
February 22, 2015
· - Narendra Modi has been rightly termed the most
pro-Israel prime minister in Indian history.
· - India considers Islamist propaganda in the
Internet a major security threat.
· The new India-Israel dynamic is driven by
similar perspectives of external threats - and common enemies.
· - For the Israelis, the Arab states are the
archenemies. For the Indians, Pakistan falls into the same category.
· - Security and foreign policy considerations are
the main driving force of the Indian-Israeli love affair.
· - Modi has proven he can win elections without
considering the Muslim minority. Does this make him Israel’s man?
In his nearly one year in office, India’s Prime Minister,
Narendra Modi, has moved very methodically about setting new priorities in
foreign affairs. That move surprised many observers who had anticipated that
Modi would mostly focus on the domestic economy.
The rapprochement with the United
States, celebrated during the recent visit of President Obama in
New Delhi, was a highlight, as was the improvement in relations with Sri Lanka.
Buddying up with Israel
Now, India’s new government is executing a demonstrative
closing of ranks with Israel. Israel’s Defense Minister, Moshe Ya’alon, just
became the first holder of that office to visit India since the inception of
diplomatic relations more than two decades ago.
Both sides spoke of it as a historic event. The significance
of the visit fits in neatly with Narendra Modi’s broadbased efforts to readjust
India’s foreign policy priorities in an evolving international environment.
India is in the market for more defense goods and Israel is an important
supplier.
The South Indian metropolis of Bengaluru was the first stop
for Ya’alon and his entourage, which consisted of numerous Israeli
representatives of companies involved in weapons manufacturing. The visitors
attended Aero India, the most important arms show in South Asia –- and a
marketplace for gigantic deals.
As was to be expected, the keenest buyers were the hosts
themselves. India’s government wants to modernize the country’s armed forces
and has earmarked no less than $150 billion for new fighter jets, anti-tank
missiles, submarines, helicopters and other hardware.
Israel’s expansive and highly successful arms industry would
like to secure a major piece of that cake. Chances for that are good. They have
become even better with Narendra Modi in power, rightly termed the most
pro-Israel prime minister in Indian history.
The end of Russian dominance
Traditionally, it has been Russia – and before that, the
Soviet Union – that served as the biggest supplier of military equipment to the
Indians. But the days of Russian domination are coming to an end.
Indian officials complain the Russians are not sharing
technological know-how. The Israelis are seen as far more generous when it
comes to military technology transfer. India is now the largest buyer of
military hardware “Made in Israel.” At the same time, Israel is India’s largest
customer after Russia.
Unlike its predecessor, the Modi government has given up any
effort to conceal the massive defense cooperation with Israel. “We used to have
our defense relationship behind the scene,” but they no longer need to do this,
Moshe Ya’alon, Israel’s defense minister, said in a talk at a political think
tank in New Delhi.
This novel transparency in a highly sensitive policy field
goes hand in hand with a broad-based upgrading of bilateral relations.
When Narendra Modi met Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last
September, the two agreed to expand their relations. During that meeting, Netanyahu
told Modi “the sky is the limit” for their cooperation.
Only a few weeks later, India’s Home Minister, Rajnath
Singh, visited Israel to discuss cooperation in the fight against terrorism and
other security issues. India is particularly keen to learn about Israel’s
cyber-defense systems as it considers Islamist propaganda in the Internet a
major security threat.
Delhi is concerned that Islamist groups are out to
radicalize members of the 180 million people strong Muslim minority in India or
recruit Indian Muslims for “holy war” in the Middle East.
India and Israel have also expanded their cooperation in
other fields, such as agriculture and commerce. The two countries have even
embarked on negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.
However, all this is of secondary importance. The military
relationship is clearly the dominant factor. The new India-Israel dynamic is
driven by similar perspectives of external threats – and common enemies.
Domestic politics also
plays a crucial role. “The previous Congress-led government kept ties with
Israel quiet, partly over concerns it would antagonize Muslim voters the party
relied on for support,” explain NC Bipindra and Nataliee Obiko Pearson in a Bloomberg
report.
Narendra Modi and his Hindu Nationalist BJP do
not need to take into account such domestic considerations. India’s Muslims have
never been — and probably never will be — a strategic target group of their
electoral campaigns.
Modi has proven on more than one occasion that
he is in the position to win elections without considering the Muslim minority.
This is good news for Israel.
